Member

If you talk to parents, I would say that the vast majority are desperate for us to ban phones in schools. I think they know that, by year 7, nearly 90% of children have smartphones, and parents whose children have not got them are severely pressurised into getting them as well. Not only can people be groomed on social media, but some of the games that are played on social media become addictive and are designed to be addictive—not least some of the loot boxes. Some of the chat elements, where parents find it impossible to check on who their child is talking to, are also extremely worrying and dangerous. We heard from the noble Baroness, Lady Cash, that all the evidence points to the fact that we should ban them, but I have to tell your Lordships that that is not the case. All the evidence does not necessarily say that.